A SILVER FUNERARY MASK OF A NOBLEMAN, LIAO DYNASTY
China, inner Mongolia, 907-1125. Formed from a sheet of thinly beaten silver and faithfully modeled to the contours of the deceased’s face, the brows executed by fine striations, the eyes open, the nose long and straight above arched lips, the large ears neatly embossed. The outer rim is pierced to bind the mask to the deceased’s head.


Provenance:
From an old private collection in Budapest, Hungary, acquired during the first half of the 20th century.

Condition:
Excellent condition, commensurate with age. Wear and traces of use, with light surface corrosion typical of ancient silver, signs of weathering and erosion, minor dents.

Weight: 88.9 g
Dimensions: Height 18 cm, Width 20.5 cm


Funerary masks
are associated with the burial culture of the Qidan Liao and many examples made of bronze, silver sheet, or gilt bronze such as the present example have been found in tombs of the Liao elite in Inner Mongolia. Two impressive gold funerary masks were discovered in the royal tomb of the Prince and Princess of Chen, dated 1018. Similarly made of thin hammered gold sheet, they are supposed to realistically portray some of their owners’ facial features.


Literature comparison:

Compare with a closely related silver alloy mase in the Philadelphia Museum of Art, accession number 2012-53-1. Compare with Zhu Qixinin, ‘The Liao Dynasty tomb of a Prince and Princess of the Chen Kingdom’, Orientations, October 1991, fig. 11. Compare another example made in gilt bronze sheet and excavated from a Liao tomb at Chifeng, Inner Mongolia, see ‘The Silk Road in Inner Mongolia’, Hong Kong, 2007, cat. no. 18. See also similar examples in the Musée Guimet, Paris, reference number MA2352. Compare with a similarly crafted mask in the Philadelphia Museum of Art, reference number 2012-53-1.


Auction result comparison:

Type: Related
Auction: Sotheby’s London, 14 May 2008, lot 92
Price: GPB 26,900 or approx.
EUR 54,500
converted and adjusted for inflation at the time of writing
Description: A silver funerary mask, Liao dynasty
Expert remark: Compare the material, style and closely related embossing technique.


Auction result comparison:

Type: Related
Auction: Galerie Zacke Vienna, 25 April 2020, lot 42
Price: EUR 6,000 or approx.
EUR 7,300
converted and adjusted for inflation at the time of writing
Description: A gilt-copper death mask, Liao dynasty
Expert remark: Note the different material (copper) and larger size (23.4 cm).




遼代貴族銀面具

中國，內蒙古，907-1125年。是用整張薄銀片製成，採用錘鍱工藝，形成浮雕效果。長圓臉，臉部寬平，神情肅穆威嚴。左右邊緣和上下端，都有小孔，用來穿細銀絲束縛面具。


來源：
匈牙利布達佩斯私人舊藏，購於上世紀前半葉。

品相：
狀態極佳，有磨損和使用痕跡，表面腐蝕，風化和侵蝕的跡象，輕微的凹痕。

重量：88.9 克
尺寸：高 18 厘米, 寬 20.5 厘米


遼代契丹族建國後
，生活方式受到中原地區影響，沿襲唐代制度，貴族普遍重厚葬，使用特別豐厚而考究的裝飾。其中，以金屬面具最具特色， 如果約為1018年陳國公主的面具。這件面具樣貌生動，製作工藝精湛，真實的再現契丹貴族颯爽英姿。


文獻比較：


比較一件非常相近的銀合金面具，收藏於賓州藝術博物館，館藏編號2012-53-1。比較Zhu Qixinin，《The Liao Dynasty tomb of a Prince and Princess of the Chen Kingdom》，Orientations，10月 1991年，圖11。比較另一件鎏金銅面具，出土於內蒙古赤峰市遼代墓葬，見《The Silk Road in Inner Mongolia》，香港，2007年，圖錄編號18。見另一件收藏於巴黎吉美國立亞洲藝術博物館，館藏編號MA2352。比較一件相似的雕刻面具，收藏於賓州藝術博物館，館藏編號2012-53-1。


拍賣結果比較：


形制：相近
拍賣：倫敦蘇富比，2008年5月14日，lot 92
價格：GPB 26,900（相當於今日
EUR 54,500
）
描述：遼代墓葬銀面具
專家評論：比較材料、風格和非常相近的壓花技術。


拍賣結果比較：


形制：相近
拍賣：Galerie Zacke 維也納，2020年4月25日，lot 42
價格：EUR 6,000（相當於今日
EUR 7,300
）
描述：罕見銅鎏金面具，遼代
專家評論：請注意不同的材料 (銅) 和尺寸較大 (23.4 釐米)。